The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-24

who kept a sort of miners lodging
house-had loved Harold Carruth
with the love which was her doom.
With a snarl and a savage glare
the old woman turned upon her
rescuer.
"The gals mine" she cried shrilly.
"What likes O ye have the right to
come atween herself and grandam p
"The right of every man to de-
fend the downtrodden, my strange
friend" he returned sternly, pushing
her into an old chair.
"Dont you know that if l report
ed what | have but now witnessed to
the officials in the CITY they would
come and take you to an. asylum !?
Even if the child were your own,
you have no license to beat her in
humanity as you did"
On the threshold of the old house
stood another stranger, and now
Dame Graham saw him for the first
time.
One keen, startled look in his fine,
patrician face, and although her
wicked eyes flashed hungrily, her
manner instantly changed to baser
servility.
''The gal is bad, she croaked apol-
ogetically, limping to place chairs
near the old fireplace. 81 have to
beat her, sirs, as any O. the miners
will tell ye. She'll lie, and she'll
steal, and"
"Deeper into her dark corner
shrunk poor Meg, shamed to the
heart.
Oh, that thus she should be ma
ligned before this handsome strang-
erin her eyes a very god
But he interrupted the whining hag
with a pleasant, musical laugh that
made Meg's blood run faster
''If she did all these crimes" he
! said coolly, "she would only proba-
bly, have learned too well the life
lesson you have striven to teach her,
, mother. But fortunately we have
witnessed the entire scene, almost,
, from the window yonder, and, by
Heaven! I've almost mind to have
you placed in Jail for it"
The old wretch fell on her knees
! and groveled at his feet-livid with
q fear
"Spare me" she gasped. 81 bein't
q nuthin' but harmless old woman ;
and promise-I swar won't niver
! tech the gal agin"
The young man laughed, again
= and cast glance of amusement on
his white-haired companion.
"What do you think, colonel ?
, Had we better give her another
, chance ? l don't give much for her
oath, certainly, and
y He hesitated as if in doubt; the
old woman clasped his knees and
I prayed for mercy; Colonel Fame
! passed her by with look of nervous
! disgust, and spread out his gloved
hands to the blazing wood-fre. Meg
T still crouched in the shadows with a
D wildly beating heart whose throbs
were strangely mingled with pain
= and joy, and outside the wild stormy
November winds shrieked hurri-
cane down the rugged ravines of
inky blackness.
ask the creature how far we are
) from Major Henderson's Paul" said
6 the old gentlemen, nervously. Ct
| really think we had better move
on. | shall not feel safe until
y reach him."
r Then, as if suddenly remember
: ing the girls existence, he turned,
/ and kindly addressed the question to
f her.
"My good girl, how far are we
$ now from Major Henderson's place ?
: Major Henderson is the superintend-
4 ent of the mines"
Meg started, and lifted her great
= shy eyes to his. They had been
, glued to that other face, the very en-
! bodiment of all things grand and
q noble to her.
I'll 1t is five miles, sir she
replied timidly.
Give miles ~ shrieked the old
: hag, leaping to her feet. Listen to
the vagabone, lyin' agin 1t is tin
| miles, sir, if it's a foot. Tin long,
| tough miles over bad, rough roads.
No baste could find them even this
nightW
Meg crouchcd back in fear, daring
s to speak no word, yet vaguely fear.
1 ing some treachery. Why should
? the old woman wish them to think
the distance greater than reality?
} A great horror clutched her heart.
t She resolved to watch and save these